The intersection of professional athletics, creative expression, and environmental advocacy has reached a new milestone with the release of the latest collaboration between performance hydration brand Bivo and the non-profit organization Protect Our Winters. Central to this initiative is Sarah Sturm, a prominent figure in the professional gravel cycling circuit and a member of the POW Bike Alliance, who served as the lead designer for the project. The collaboration introduces a limited-edition stainless steel water bottle featuring original artwork by Sturm, intended to raise funds for climate policy advocacy while promoting a message of environmental stewardship through a lens of joy rather than anxiety.
For Sturm, the project represents a convergence of two distinct identities: the elite athlete and the trained artist. Having spent nearly a decade competing at the highest levels of long-distance gravel racing—a discipline known for its grueling endurance requirements and rugged terrain—Sturm has often seen her creative background take a backseat to the demands of professional sport. This partnership marks a formal return to her artistic roots, utilizing the water bottle as a mobile canvas to communicate the urgent need for climate action to the cycling community and the broader outdoor industry.
The Creative Genesis: From the Saddle to the Sketchbook
The design process for the Bivo x POW collaboration did not originate in a traditional studio setting. Instead, Sturm describes the conceptualization phase as an extension of her training regimen. During five- and six-hour endurance rides through high deserts and mountainous regions, the repetitive nature of long-distance cycling provided the mental space necessary for brainstorming. According to Sturm, the isolation of the road allowed her to visualize the themes of the project before ever putting pencil to paper.
Upon returning to her sketchbook, Sturm prioritized a tactile, analog approach, eschewing digital shortcuts for the raw texture of pencil and paper. The resulting aesthetic is rooted in her affinity for textiles and bold, geometric shapes. The artwork features a sophisticated interplay of flora and machinery: flower petals are intricately woven into the typography, botanical blooms transition seamlessly into the circular geometry of bicycle wheels, and an abstract representation of a cyclist is depicted with a crown of flowers.
This specific imagery was chosen to foster a sense of "lightness" within the often-heavy discourse surrounding climate change. Sturm noted that the goal was to create a design that was inclusive and celebratory, acting as a visual antidote to the "climate anxiety" that can sometimes lead to paralysis among activists. By focusing on the beauty of the environments that cyclists frequent, the design serves as a functional reminder to "protect what you love."
Technical Challenges of the Cylindrical Canvas
Designing for a water bottle presents unique spatial challenges that differ significantly from flat media. Sturm had to account for the cylindrical nature of the Bivo bottle, recognizing that the artwork would never be viewed in its entirety from a single vantage point while tucked into a bicycle’s bottle cage.
This technical constraint was leveraged as a creative opportunity. Sturm treated the surface as a continuous narrative, ensuring that whether the bottle is viewed from the left, right, or center, the composition remains balanced and engaging. This approach allows the bottle to function as multiple pieces of art in one, providing a shifting perspective as the rider moves or handles the vessel. The integration of the design with the physical form of the bottle reflects a growing trend in the outdoor industry where functional gear is increasingly viewed as a medium for storytelling and brand values.
Background and Context: The Growth of Gravel Cycling and Advocacy
The release of this collaboration comes at a time when gravel cycling is experiencing unprecedented growth. According to industry reports from organizations like PeopleForBikes, the gravel segment has become one of the fastest-growing categories in the cycling market, driven by a desire among riders to escape motorized traffic and connect more deeply with natural landscapes. This surge in participation has created a powerful demographic of "outdoor constituents" who are increasingly motivated to protect the public lands and climates essential to their sport.
Sarah Sturm’s role within the POW Bike Alliance is a direct reflection of this shift. Protect Our Winters (POW), founded by professional snowboarder Jeremy Jones in 2007, originally focused on the winter sports community. However, the organization has since expanded its reach through the "Outdoor State"—a concept representing the 50 million Americans who identify as outdoor enthusiasts. By mobilizing cyclists, hikers, and climbers alongside skiers and snowboarders, POW aims to influence climate policy at the local, state, and federal levels.
The Environmental Impact of Stainless Steel Hydration
The choice of Bivo as the manufacturing partner for this project is significant due to the company’s focus on sustainability within the hydration market. For decades, the cycling industry has relied heavily on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) plastic bottles. While functional, these bottles contribute to the global plastic waste crisis and have raised concerns regarding the leaching of microplastics and chemicals during use.
Bivo entered the market with the goal of providing a high-performance alternative to plastic. Their bottles are constructed from food-grade stainless steel, which is infinitely recyclable and more durable than plastic counterparts. From a performance standpoint, Bivo engineered a unique "gravity-flow" nozzle that allows water to flow at a rate comparable to a squeezed plastic bottle without the need for the rider to squeeze the metal. This innovation addresses a primary barrier to the adoption of metal bottles in professional racing environments. By utilizing a Bivo bottle, the POW collaboration aligns its physical product with its environmental message, reducing the carbon footprint associated with the lifecycle of cycling accessories.
Economic and Political Implications of the Outdoor Industry
The collaboration between Sturm, Bivo, and POW is situated within a broader economic context. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) recently reported that the outdoor recreation economy accounts for approximately 2.2% of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating $1.1 trillion in economic output and supporting nearly 5 million jobs. This economic weight gives organizations like POW significant leverage when advocating for environmental legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act or the protection of the Antiquities Act.
Projects like the Bivo x POW bottle serve a dual purpose: they act as a fundraising mechanism and a branding tool. The proceeds from the sales are channeled directly into POW’s advocacy efforts, which include non-partisan voter education, lobbying for renewable energy transitions, and supporting land conservation initiatives. In this framework, the water bottle is not merely a consumer good but a micro-investment in the political infrastructure of environmentalism.
Analysis: The Multi-Hyphenate Athlete and Brand Responsibility
Sturm’s involvement highlights a shifting paradigm in professional sports sponsorship. Traditionally, an athlete’s value to a brand was measured primarily through race results and podium finishes. However, modern consumers are increasingly gravitating toward athletes who demonstrate a "multi-hyphenate" identity—individuals who combine athletic prowess with social responsibility, artistic talent, or community leadership.
Sturm’s admission that her art had "fallen by the wayside" as her cycling career intensified is a sentiment shared by many professional athletes who face the pressure of singular focus. This collaboration serves as a case study in how brands can support the holistic identities of their athletes. By providing a platform for Sturm’s art, Bivo and POW have created a product that resonates on a more personal level with the consumer base, moving beyond transactional marketing into the realm of shared values.
Broader Impact on Climate Communication
One of the most notable aspects of the Sarah Sturm design is its intentional avoidance of polarizing or "doom-oriented" imagery. Experts in climate communication, such as those at the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication, have noted that while fear can be a powerful motivator in the short term, it often leads to long-term disengagement or burnout.
In contrast, "joy-based advocacy" focuses on the positive outcomes of climate action and the inherent value of the natural world. Sturm’s use of floral motifs and bright, accessible artwork aligns with this strategy. By associating environmental protection with the joy of cycling and the beauty of the outdoors, the collaboration seeks to build a more resilient and motivated base of advocates.
Conclusion and Availability
The POW x Bivo bottle, designed by Sarah Sturm, is currently available through the official Protect Our Winters online store and select retail partners. As a limited-edition release, the product is expected to serve as a collector’s item for fans of the gravel racing scene and supporters of environmental causes alike.
Each purchase contributes to the ongoing mission of Protect Our Winters, ensuring that the organization has the resources necessary to continue its work in Washington D.C. and across the various states where outdoor recreation is a vital part of the cultural and economic fabric. As the outdoor industry continues to grapple with its own environmental footprint, collaborations of this nature provide a roadmap for how professional athletes and innovative brands can work together to foster a more sustainable future for the places they ride, ski, and explore.
